Airlines: Passengers Being Used as Political Pawns

3/22/2013 9:44AM

As the Federal Aviation Administration prepares to furlough air-traffic controllers as a result of sequester cuts, the airline industry is fighting back. WSJ's Jack Nicas reports on The News Hub. Photo: REUTERS.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... the the ... I'm Kelsey Hubbard ... yet another impact of the sequester temporary lay off the air traffic controllers due to the sweeping sequestration cuts could result in major summer travel disruptions ... this is sparked a fight between the airlines and the FAA joining us from Chicago with more exactly guess that things are going up this morning ... avoided ... so don't think that what cuts were in the sequester that affects the airlines ... so it needed ... to question a lot of the top five percent of their annual budget for each program actually ... end of the FAA that the payout by five percent savings ... in their air traffic control budget now because the ... for over six months than over your ex is ten percent cut ... in that ... space that is pretty drastic can basically ... that they were pipped requiring them to furlough all of their employees ... one video opportunity ... and that means there's going to be understaffed under ... control ... of course been there for up to protecting the ninety minute flight delays but ... didn't report the summer ... while more delays on like that so ... this seems to be sitting up as a political fight as well and there seems to be eyes and started to be brewing as to whether or not the FA actually does have flexibility when it comes to implementing these cuts ... can you outline the four S in the D then ... sure what it says it very very political issue it a very very complex issue ... of the noted big budget that the ball to the interpretation of law falls ... in the airline to basically saying that the FA have more flexibility it said in a discussion that the purple but not actually get ... it ... making a political pawns ... yet that that was there there's certain accusing FKO of I'm ... a bit deeper using air travel to the poster child ... for the sequester ... aam it in and taking no wise to start in the fight between a Republican in your palm ... over the budget ... so I think a lot of the flying public will wanna know what impact on safety this could happen it seems to be that cutting air traffic controllers and then making cuts ... around the air industry ... where the impact that some extent Iran ... well yes they have in their capital is both thinking that it will not ... be affected ... on the heels of it to the top priority is always that mobile offering it efficiently and therefore ... I will keep the weight of ... course all the ... talk of taking a plan to make a better handle ... on it yet but ... agreed that the discover the cave but ... there are some of that is where I'm ... from ... untold hours actually will be entirely eliminated ... a not so small airport in rural areas across the US ... the note is that I'm ... again I was ... trained to be able to win without controllers but that clearly not as safe as it was good that the total percentage wish ... and and and getting back some of the political aspect of this when the sequestration cuts were looming either side CDB jockeying for public opinion as to whose fault ... it was that the compromise can be reached is the goal here to sort of upset the flying public and people in general for more delays at the airport were Lions for security that ... somehow either side land of getting blamed more than the other for this ... understanding the origin of the first thing ... I mean it that the fate of all federal government is key ... to the FAA has been one of the controls ... while it's still fall under forced to delay the airport ... that didn't make it into something that ... the public is outraged over ... to Navy that could push on the other ... two are going to go into a budget deal ... certainly now trades as a summer affair are a lot of those times thank you so much for joining us and we appreciate it ... thank you